Japan Crate Review: Unboxing the Summer Paradise Crate

Get ready to dive into the vibrant world of Japanese summer treats with Japan Crate's "Summer Paradise" July edition. The July Japan Crate Premium box promises an eclectic mixture of sweets, treats, collectibles, and snacks inspired by Japan's exciting Takeshita Street in Harajuku, aka the birthplace of kawaii. As you foray into the world of kawaii items and fashionistas, you'll experience Japanese culture at its finest through unique, authentic treats. With a Japan Crate box, you can experience Japan from the comfort of your home!

Below, we explore more details of this month's subscription box with an in-depth Japan Crate review, from its contents to the unboxing experience.

First Impressions of the Summer Paradise Crate

The first essential aspect of any Japan Crate review is diving into the packaging of the box, which sets the mood for the entire unboxing experience. July's Summer Paradise Crate promises an exciting design that offers a true taste of summertime in Harajuku.

With bold, vibrant colors and fun design elements inspired by Takeshita Street and Harajuku District, this crate easily transports you to one of Japan's most famous areas. Throughout the box's design, you'll find Harajuku's famous street food offerings (like taiyaki and tanghulu), brightly wrapped candy, selfies, food items typically found at character cafes, and other kawaii elements. Each of these elements offers insight into what makes the Harajuku District so iconic and popular.

Upon opening the crate, you'll be immersed in an array of brightly colored snacks that perfectly match the box's inspiration. These treats, ranging from exclusive Japanese candies to Harajuku shop-inspired savory snacks, make this box so much fun to unwrap. Once you've finished the snacks, you can unfold the box to reveal a fun poster for your wall!

Theme Breakdown + Japanese Summer Anime and Pop Culture

Harajuku District is a famous area in Tokyo that possesses a rich history of fashion, food, and kawaii. In the 1970s, this district became a popular destination for artisans who wished to sell their products or resell fun fashion items due to the affordability of the area. Gradually, this area developed into one of the most popular areas for viewing fashionistas, purchasing unique fashion finds and kawaii products, indulging in mouthwatering food stall offerings, and anime experiences/store owner offerings.

These exciting aspects and the rich history of Harajuku District have inspired July's monthly Japan Crate. Another significant draw of summertime in Japan is the many festivals that occur throughout the country. Often seen in anime, these festivals are filled with street food, exciting parades, cultural traditions, and fun activities, all depicted in one form or another on the packaging.

Unpacking the Snack Content

While the design and theme of each Japan Crate box are important, the Japanese snacks included in the crate are the real showstoppers. In particular, the Summer Paradise Crate features treats similar to those one would find while exploring Harajuku during the day.

For example, Harajuku District is famous for its oversized rainbow cotton candy, which appears regularly on various social media platforms. Because of this beloved sweet treat, this Japanese snack box includes Kirby Cotton Candy, a Kirby-inspired treat that's just as good as Takeshita Street's offerings. Let's dig into some other snacks from this month's box!

Kitten Paw Chocolate Dorayaki

In Harajuku, you'll find an array of themed cafes which offer adorable character-inspired treats. This yummy Kitten Paw Chocolate Dorayaki is just like what you'd be offered at a local cafe. It features a fun kitten paw shape, soft, fluffy pancakes, and a delightful chocolate flavor.

Marosh Yogurt Soda

Another popular sweet treat in Harajuku during the summertime is their parfaits, which include a delicious mixture of yogurt, ice cream, candy, fruit, and other fun toppings. You'd likely find something similar to this Marosh Yogurt Soda as a parfait topping on one of these parfaits. This sweet candy has a soft gummy consistency and a delightful soda yogurt taste.

Premium Cheese Potato Chips

A personal favorite, the Premium Cheese Potato Chips are ideal for savory snack lovers. This treat from Calbee is reminiscent of an available treat in Harajuku's Calbee+ shop, which provides fresh versions of its chips. Enjoy a savory, salty, cheesy taste on each bite of these crispy chips.

Fruits Crepe Cookie

This sweet treat will transport you directly to Takeshita Street, which is famous for its crepes! This crispy crepe cookie includes a delicious filling of fruit and vanilla cream. It's the perfect combination of sweet, crunchy, and creamy, especially for summer hangouts.

The Bonus Item

This comprehensive Japan Crate review also includes details on the exciting non-edible collectible in the Summer Paradise Crate - a kawaii Gudetama keychain similar to what you'd find in Harajuku's Daiso store or one of the cute shops throughout the district.

This fun keychain features Gudetama, also known as the lazy egg character. It's a fun offering that helps you add a touch of kawaii fashion to any outfit, purse, or bag. This keychain is available in four designs, which are included at random in this month's box, making it fun to unveil which option you've received. You'll even learn a few fun facts about this beloved character!

Recap of Previous Crates

When exploring a Japan Crate review, understanding the previously crafted boxes is essential as it offers insight into what to expect in this crate and upcoming offerings. Below, we take a look at a few of the previous Japan Crate themes.

Retro Anime Crate

Last month, the Retro Anime Crate was released, which focused on a nostalgic anime theme in Japan with exciting neon lights and retro-styled manga/anime characters. Each of the snacks brought back memories from the past, such as a film camera which had Ramune-flavored snacks inside. This Retro Anime Crate would not be complete without nostalgic stickers of Goku from Dragon Ball.

This crate was met with kind words from various customers. Some of the review content included comments noting the high-quality of the snacks and authencity of the treats offered. Others enjoyed the included Goku stickers, and the full sized Japanese Kit Kat (always included in Japan Crate deliveries).

Arts and Crafts Crate

Another previous Japanese snack box offering was the Arts and Crafts Crate, which highlighted the many artistic offerings of Japanese culture. From the packaging design to the included collapsable fan, this Japan Crate was truly a treat. Each snack and sweet in the crate offered an interactive element that helped create a unique subscriber experience. For example, the Super Mario Charapaki Chocolate Bar included in the crate allows subscribers to "free" the Super Mario characters by breaking off pieces of chocolate.

Customers loved how cute this box was, along with the variety of snacks included. Many noted the various snacks were delicious and fun. A popular inclusion in the crate was the Japanese Kit Kats.

Overall Experience

The Summer Paradise Crate offers an exploration of Japan's iconic Harajuku District from home. Through the authentic Japanese snacks and collectible in this month's box, you can get to know various aspects of the district. Beyond learning about Harajuku, this snack box offers a gateway to Japanese culture by providing unique flavors that are not typically found outside of the country. The box's theme also provides a snapshot of Japan's culture by offering insight into various events, activities, cuisine, and more found throughout the country.

With each Japan Crate delivery, you'll delve further into Japan's offerings through new and exciting themes that feature exclusive and seasonal offerings. Explore various aspects of Japan's culture by learning about festivals, popular activities, arts, crafts, and more with every delivery. With this Japan Crate review in mind, get ready to enjoy Japan from the comfort of your home with a Japan Crate subscription!

Conclusion

Its exciting packaging, summery vibes, and vibrant treats make the Summer Paradise Crate a haven for snack lovers! With its authentic Japanese offerings (15-17 full-sized goodies in each crate) and a theme that provides insight into Japanese culture, this crate will expand your taste buds and knowledge simultaneously.

As you're snacking your way through this crate, you'll find yourself on a journey through Japan's Harajuku District. Make sure to take photos along the way to document your Japan snack travels, from your favorite treats to personal experiences in the Harajuku District! Then, tag @japancrate. We love learning more about our subscribers!

Start your exploration of Japan by subscribing to Japan Crate! With a subscription, your tastebuds will travel to new and exciting places in Japan from the comfort of your home. Take control of your tastebuds by visiting Sugoi Mart, an online market featuring an array of Japanese snacks, sweets, candies (like even more Japanese Kit Kat flavors), toys, plushies, and more!

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